Circular knitting machines



Jan. 21, 1969 A. H. WIDDOWSON E AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES SheetFiled June 27, 1966 Jan. 21, 1969 A. H. WIDDOWSON ET L 3,422,538

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Sheet 2 of 3 Filed June 27, 1966 Fig.3.

k ID 9 3 WW/WQZw/W Jan. 21, 1969 A, H, WIDDQWSQN ET AL 3,422,638 Q CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 27. 1966 Sheet 3 of 5 United StatesPatent 3,422,638 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Albert H. Widdowson,Leicester, and Walter Goadby, Evington, Leicester, England, assignors toWildt Mellor Bromley Limited, Leicester, England, a British com- FiledJune 27, 1966, Ser. No. 560,466 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, July 17, 1965,

30,459/ 65 US. C]. 66-19 Int. Cl. D04b 9/06; 1304b 15/48 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multi-feed circular knitting machine of thecylinder and dial type. Cams other than stitch cams and guard cams areprovided in the conventional cylinder cam box. The stitch cams and guardcams are mounted on an angularly adjustable ring constituting an uppercylinder cam box. By adjustment of this ring the relative positions of YThis invention relates to multi-feed circular knitting machines of thecylinder and dial type. The invention relates primarily to such machinesin which the dial cam plate and the cylinder cam box are stationary andthe cylinder and the dial rotate relatively thereto, but is alsoapplicable to such machines in which the cylinder and dial remainstationary and the dial cam plate and the cylinder cam box revolverelatively thereto.

The invention has reference to means for effecting adjustments in thetiming of the cams in such machines, that is to say adjustments in therelative positions of the cylinder and dial stitch cams at each feed andhence the relative timing of the knocking-over of loops from thecylinder and dial needles by such cams during knitting.

As Well known, it is sometimes necessary in such machines that there issynchronised timing, that is to say that the knitting cams on the dialcam plate and in the cylinder cam box at each feed are in alignment withone another so that the cylinder and dial needles are simultaneouslyactuated by their stitch cams. However, it is also required at timesthat there is delayed timing according to which at any one feed thestitch cam on the dial cam plate and the stitch cam in the cylinder cambox are relatively offset a short distance angularly about the commonaxis of the cylinder and dial. For these purposes provision isconventionally made in multi-feed machines of the type concerned forefiecting adjustments of the timing of the cams. Such timing isconventionally varied, either by changing the cylinder stitch cams,(i.e. the stitch cams in the cylinder cam box) that is to say replacingthem by stitch cams of another form or profile, or by moving thecylinder stitch cams. Alternatively, the dial cam plate is adapted to bemoved relatively to the cylinder cam box.

These conventional methods of adjusting the cam timing suffer fromdisadvantages. The first two methods of respectively changing or movingthe cylinder stitch cams are slow and tedious, whilst it is difiicult tomake provision for the third method, i.e. that of moving the dial camplate, because more room is required for each knitting cycle, whichincreases the cost of the machine.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages byproviding a multi-feed machine of the type concerned furnished withsimple and efiicient means Patented Jan. 21, 1969 for angularlyadjusting the positions of all of the cylinder stitch cams in unisonrelatively to the dial stitch cams, whereby the timing can be readilyvaried without interfering with the dial cam plate.

The machine constituting this invention is characterised in that thecylinder stitch cams and associated guard cams at all of the feeds areso mounted as to be movable together angularly about the common axis ofthe cylinder and dial relatively both to the cylinder cam box housingthe remaining cams of the cylinder cam system and also to the dial camplate, whereby the relative positions of the cylinder and dial stitchcams can be varied.

The idea is that the cam timing of the machine can be readily adjustedby varying the angular positions of the cylinder stitch cams.

Preferably, the machine includes, in association with each feed,alternative combined yarn guides and latch guards the latter being ofdifferent sizes such as to extend for different distancescircumferentially of the needle cylinder, which can be selectivelybrought into the operative position depending upon the cam timing towhich the machine is adjusted.

This is necessitated by the fact that with synchronised timing the latchguard only requires to be quite short to ensure that the needle latch isheld open for the requisite time whereas with delayed timing the latchguard requires to extend further circumferentially for holding theneedle latch open for a somewhat longer period corresponding to theextent of the delay, i.e. the angular displacement.

Conveniently, the cylinder stitch cams and the associated guard cams atall of the feeds are mounted upon a common component whereby the camtiming can be readily adjusted by varying the angular position of thecommon component. The component may be adjusted into either thesynchronous timing position or the position providing maximum delay orto any intermediate position providing a shorter delay.

The component may be in the form of a ring extending completely aroundthe cylinder of the machine and forming an upper cylinder cam boxdisposed above a lower cam box housing the remaining cams of thecylinder cam system.

Where the cylinder and dial are stationary and the dial cam plate andcylinder cam box revolve, the ring carrying the cylinder stitch cams andguard cams will require to revolve together with the cylinder cam boxbut will be adjustable angularly relatively to the latter and to thedial cam plate for adjusting the cam timing. One specific constructionalexample of a machine of the type concerned incorporating the inventionwill now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross sectional view through the upper portion ofone side of the needle cylinder and cam boxes and the adjacent portionsof the dial and of the dial cam plate,

FIGURE 2 is a detail underside plan view showing the means facilitatingturning of the ring angularly and for locking the ring in the adjustedposition,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view through one side of theneedle cylinder and cam boxes, the section being taken through a planedisplaced angularly about the latch guards showing the shorter latchguard in the operative position adjacent the cylinder and dial needles,and

FIGURE 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the part shown in FIGURE5, but with the larger latch guard shown in the operative posit-ion.

The machine of this example is of basically conventional form and onlythose parts and re-arrangements in accordance with the invention will bediscussed in the following description. As will be seen from FIGURES land 3, the machine has a rotatable needle cylinder 1, equipped with acircular series of needles 2 and, for controlling the latter, a circularseries of rocking jacks 3 located below the needles in the same tricksor grooves in the cylinder. The machine includes a rotatable dial 4equipped with radially extending needles 5 and an associated fixed dialcam plate 6 of conventional form.

A fixed lower annular cam box 7 concentrically surrounds the needlecylinder in alignment with the jacks 3 and is of conventional formexcept that only a portion of the cam system is housed within this cambox, i.e. no stitch cams or associated guard cams are housed therein.However, jack raising, clearing cams 8, levelling cams 9 and all otherrequisite cams (not shown) and selecting mechanism 10 are housed withinlower cam box 7 as shown in FIG- URE 4.

An annular fixed plate 11 is disposed above lower cam box 7 and issupported upon a plurality of spaced posts 11a and extends aroundcylinder 1. Mounted upon upper face of plate 11 is an annular ring 12which can be turned angularly upon plate 11. Ring 12 is centred uponplate 11 by a narrow annular rib 11b on the plate 11 and is re tained bymeans of bolts 13 extending through slots 110 in plate 11 (FIGURE 3).The slots 110 are of a size to accommodate the angular adjustment ofring 12. A washer 14 is interposed between the head of each bolt 13 andthe underside of plate 11. Mounted concentrically upon ring 12 is anangle section annular component or ring 15 having a cylindrical portionextending upwardly for a short axial extent co-axially around cylinder 1and forming an upper cam box housing cylinder stitch earns 16 andassociated guard earns 17 for all feeds of the machine (FIGURE 4). Ring15 is centred on the ring 12 by an annular rib 12a on the latter. Rings12 and 15 are secured together by screws 15a (FIGURE 1) and in effectconstitute an integral ring-form component.

Each of the cylinder needles 2 is furnished with. a single knitting butt2a which is to be operated upon by stitch earns 16 and guard cams 17 inthe upper cam box 15.

The jack raising cams 8 housed within cam box 7 are adapted to raiseselected jacks 3, and hence selected needles 2, so that these areactuated by stitch cams 16. Each of the rocking jacks 3 is formed at oneedge with a fulcrum 3a, and has a presser butt 3b, disposed below thefulcrum, which is acted upon by the selecting mechanism 10, and anoperating butt 3c disposed below the fulcrum, which is acted upon bycams 8.

The arrangement is the conventional one in which the lower ends of therocking jacks 3 selected by the selecting mechanism 10 are pressed bythe latter into the tricks of the cylinder 1 so that operating butt 3cis out of contact with jack-raising cam 8, such jacks 3 are not raisedand cylinder needles 2 are not raised but are allowed to remain down ina non-knitting cam track. The lower ends of others of the jacks 3, asdetermined by the relevant selecting mechanism 10, at each feed areallowed to remain out of the tricks so as to be contacted byjack-raising cam 8 whereby jacks 3 and associated needles 2 are raisedinto the knitting track.

The means facilitating the turning of the ring component 12, 15angularly in either direction comprise lever 18, (FIGURES l and 2)pivotally mounted by means of a vertical pivot pin 19 upon and at theunderside of plate 11. Pin 19 is constituted by a bolt, the reduced endof which is screwed into a bore in plate 11. The leading end of lever 18is recessed to form a forkpiece, the two limbs 18b of which straddle avertical pin 20 depending from ring 12 at a point a short distance frompivot pin 19. Pin 20 extends through a slot 11d (FIGURE 2) formed inplate 11 and of greater width than the diameter of pin 20 and of alength to accommodate the requisite angular adjustment of the ringcomponent 12, 15, the movement of the latter being determined byabutment of the pin 20 against the end of slot 11d.

Turning of lever 18 in one direction or the other about pin 19 will turnring component 12, 15 angularly in one direction or the other for camtiming purposes. Lever 18 is of short length and is formed with a socket18a to receive the end of a detachable turning bar 21 (FIGURES 1 and 2).

The means for locking the rings in an adjusted position comprise twolugs 18c, integral with lever 18, and extending to opposite sides of pin19, the lugs being formed with screw tapped holes receiving two screws22 extending parallel to one another flanking pin 19 and the leadingends of which abut against two pegs or equivalent stops 23 dependingfrom plate 11 (FIGURE 2). When ring 15 has been adjusted, in order tolock it in its adjusted position, screws 22 are screwed into the holesuntil the leading ends abut against stops 23. Screws 22 are furnishedwith locknuts 22a.

The timing of the machine can be readily adjusted by simply adjustingthe angular position of ring 15 constituting the upper cam box. This canbe adjusted into either the synchronous timing position, in which theaxes X and Y in FIGURE 4 of the peaks of the cylinder stitch cams 16 andthe dial earns 26 are in alignment, or the position providing maximumdelay in which the axes X and Y are displaced a distance Z as shown inFIGURE 4, or to any intermediate position providing a commensuratelyshorter delay.

A part indicated generally at 24, FIGURES 5 and 6, comprising twoalternative combined yarn guides and latch guards of diflierentetfective circumferential extents is associated with each feed of themachine. Each part 24 (FIGURES 5- and 6) is in the form of a flat platecom prising a central mounting portion 24a; a short portion 24bextending transversely at one end of, to one side of, and in the sameplane as, the mounting portion 24a and constituting a latch guard ofshort length, i.e. extent cir cumferentially of the needle cylinder,having a hole 24a therein constituting a yarn guide, and a longerportion 240 extending transversely at one end of, to the opposite sideof, and in the same plane as, the mounting portion 24a and constitutinga latch guard of longer length and having a hole 24f thereinconstituting a yarn guide. Mounting portion 24:: is formed centrallywith a circular hole 24d whereby the part is mounted upon a horizontalpin 25 projecting from a bracket (not shown) secured to the dial camplate 6. Manifestly, one yarn guide and latch guard 24b or 240 or theother may be brought into the operative position by simply turning thepart about the mounting pin 25. The relevant face of each yarn guide andlatch guard 24b or 24c is arranged to guard the latches of the cylinderneedles 2 whilst the edge thereof is arranged to guard the dial needles5.

Although it has been assumd in the above description that ring component12, 15 is adjusted manually it will be apparent that the ring could beadjusted automatically by any suitable power operated means, eg eitherelectrically and/ or mechanically under suitable control for example onthe timing chain of the machine. Moreover, the combined yarn guides andlatch guards 24 may be similarly moved selectively into the operativeposition automatically by power operated means.

We claim:

1. A multi-feed circular knitting machine comprising a needle cylinder;a set of needles operable in said cylinder; a dial concentricallyarranged with respect to said needle cylinder; a set of needles operablein the dial; a dial cam plate above the dial; cams on the dial cam platefor operating said dial needles; a cam box associated with said needlecylinder; cams other than stitch cams and guard cams in said cam box;said needle cylinder, together with the said dial, and said cam box,together with said dial cam plate, being relatively rotatable about thecommon axis thereof; mounting means adjacent to said needle cylinder,and stitch cams and guard cams mounted on said mounting means in such away as to be movable together angularly about the common axis of saidcylinder and said dial relatively both to said cam box and to said dialcam plate, whereby the relative positions of said cylinder and dialstitch cams can be varied, wherein the improvement comprises, inassociation with each cylinder stitch cam, alternative combined yarnguides and latch guards (24), the latter being of different sizes suchas to extend for dilferent distances circumferentially of said needlecylinder, which can be selectively brought into the operative positiondepending upon the cam timing to which machine is adjusted.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said mounting means isconstituted by a component in the form of an angularly adjustable ringextending completely around said needle cylinder, and forming an uppercylinder cam box disposed above the aforementioned cylinder cam box.

3. A machine according to claim 2, which includes means for turning saidring component comprising a fixed annular plate associated with saidcylinder cam box, a pivot pin upon said fixed plate, a lever on saidpivot pin and a pin on said ring component at a point spaced from saidpivot pin and engaged by said lever whereby turning of said lever in onedirection or the other will turn the ring component angularly in onedirection or the other for adjusting the cam timing; and means forlocking said ring component in an adjusted position comprising two lugsintegral with said lever and extending to opposite sides of said pivotpin, each of said lugs being formed with screw tapped holes and twoscrews extending parallel to one another, flanking said pivot pin andengaged in said holes.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein a mounting pin is providedadjacent each cylinder stitch cam, and said alternative combined yarnguides and latch guards associated with each cylinder stitch camcomprise a part mounted on one of said pins, whereby the part can beturned about the pivot pin to bring either one yarn guide and latchguard or the other into the operative position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 586,315 7/1897 Munsing.

808,121 12/1905 Stafford et al 66-19 864,496 8/ 1907 Williams et a166-19 951,706 3/1910 Scott 66-25 983,777 2/ 1911 Scott 66-19 2,043,8526/1936 Holmes 66-25 1,424,274 8/ 1922 Ballard 66-25 2,815,651 12/ 1957Burdett 66-54 3,076,327 2/ 1963 Coile 66-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,153,0529/1957 France.

12,847 2/ 1912 Great Britain. 388,829 3/ 1933 Great Britain.

W. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 66-131

